Thus, Phoskar, who was in his room, sat in sorrow, reflecting on the battle and on his failure to save the people in the forest. At the same time, in his father Oxythar's office, the enchanted frame made a sound and alerted him that someone was calling. In the frame appeared the police of Knosaion, who informed Oxythar that his son had left the city limits without an escort and that he had also returned quite late at night. Normally, leaving Knosaion is permitted only until six in the afternoon, and the young mage had come back shortly before nine.
— Were you aware, Commander Oxythar, that your son left our city?— No, I had no idea at all. The boy told me nothing.— You will need to bring him to the police station tomorrow morning so that we may question him and determine whether a penalty is required.— I'll bring him today at once!— No, Commander, I don't believe that is necessary… Rest today and bring him to us in the morning. The young Foskyr must have gotten himself into some mischief…
Thus, Oxythar bade farewell to the officers and ended the magical call. He returned home and questioned his son about why he had left Knosaion—without even informing anyone. Foskar was in the living room with his mother and his sister, discussing what kind of food they should prepare for tomorrow. Lydia and Enali therefore also heard of Foskyr's antics, and all of them began demanding explanations and scolding him for his recklessness. However, the young mage, clearly irritated, remained silent and said only that he would give whatever explanations were necessary tomorrow at the police station.
Although they pressed him to speak and to reveal the reason he had gone into the forest, Foskar did not utter a word. He tried not to think about everything that had happened in the grove only a few hours earlier, for he felt sorrow and guilt at having failed to save anyone from the Ōnia. As a result, they eventually stopped questioning him, and they all went to bed, since it was already late. Early the next morning, Oxythar went to his son's room to wake him.
— Wake up, Foskyr! Get ready so we can go—so they can question you for leaving Knosaion without permission and without the escort of an adult.
Foskyr, silent and in a foul mood, began to dress.
— Your sister and Lydia wanted to come as well, but I told them it would be better if we went alone. I did the right thing, didn't I?— Better that way.
Thus, father and son left on their own, and when they arrived at the police center, without delay they took the young mage and led him in for questioning. Nofivos revealed the entire truth and the events of the battle, so that they themselves could verify, by investigating the location, that he was indeed being sincere. The interrogator looked at him, astonished and perplexed as to whether what he was saying could truly be real.
— So, if we had not detected you through the magical mantle at the borders of our city, you would not have revealed all these important events to us?— I was very shaken and grief-stricken because I failed to save the two people, and my mind was clouded. I didn't know what to do. I haven't even mentioned the tragic incident to my parents… You are the first to hear what happened yesterday afternoon.
Thus, the officers sent a group of elves to verify whether the young mage was indeed telling the truth, and at the same time they informed his father of everything he had recounted. When Oxythar learned of it, he became angry and scolded him, saying that he had not only violated the rules of Knosaion, but had also placed himself in mortal danger through his recklessness. Meanwhile, they told Oxythar that until the investigation in the forest was completed, they would need to wait at the station.
— However, Mr. Adathos, if you wish, you may go to your service, to your unit, and leave the young one here, so that we do not delay you unnecessarily from your duties.— It's better that I stay; something may be needed…— No, don't worry. If what he told us is true, then he will be free to return to your home.— I say you'd better keep him here for a week or so—maybe then he'll come to his senses… Anyway, fine, I'll be going then. We'll talk at home!
And so Oxythar left the station, visibly irritated with his son. Shortly afterward, the officers also found the evidence of the young mage's clash with the Ōnia: the bodies of the people, the animal-like creatures, and many fragments of shattered rocks and burned trees. Moreover, the group of elves discerned that the young mage had not exaggerated when he recounted what had unfolded during the bloody confrontation. Indeed, at the site it was evident that an epic battle had taken place, and it was truly a miracle that Foskar had managed to survive.
Thus, when the group returned and reported to their superiors everything they had verified at the battlefield, they too were left equally stunned by the feat of the underage mage. Meanwhile, news of Foskar's epic battle with the Ōnia quickly spread throughout the elven kingdom, and it was decided that at twelve o'clock a council would be held at the palace. This would be an opportunity for all the elves to learn what had happened yesterday in the forest outside Knosaion—from Foskyr himself. The elves believed that if the young mage were summoned to recount everything publicly, he might reveal something more as well. It was inconceivable to them to believe that he had no additional help and that he was the sole survivor of such a fierce battle with the Ōnia.
The elves knew that he had gone to the grove with the fountain, yet it was strange how he had ended up at the remote site of the battle. Moreover, they could not come to terms with the fact that he had only two mages as allies, and that he alone had survived all that devastation—something they themselves had confirmed from the debris. Thus, the elves decided to hold this open assembly and to pressure the adolescent mage to recount the events once more before all his fellow citizens, in the hope that they might extract further information about what had happened.
Time passed, and the moment of the assembly at the palace arrived. A great crowd had gathered, and everyone was eager to hear all that had occurred the previous afternoon in the forest of Knosaion. Among the elven multitude were his beautiful sister and his mother, Lydia, who had come to learn of Foskar's exploits as well. An elderly elf took the floor to open the assembly, beginning by emphasizing how serious Phoskyr's transgression had been.
— The young mage endangered the secrecy of our kingdom! If the Ōnia—or even humans—had captured you, it is almost certain that they would have the means to force you to reveal the entrance and everything you know about our world. Did you ever think of that, or do you care only about getting entangled in battles and adventures?
Phoskar could not endure the insult from the elderly elf. He took the floor himself and replied in anger that when lives are at stake, he prefers to step out of hiding and help, unlike others who possess far greater knowledge and power and yet sit idle… engaging in endless talk.
Hearing the provocative words of the young mage, the elves began to boo him. Some even shouted, "How can he mock us, when we raised him as one of our own? He should be showing us respect!"
Elanor called for silence, and then addressed the adolescent Nophoivos.
— What do you mean by saying you stepped out of hiding? So you were not at the site of the clash from the start?— I was near the grove with the fountain, which lies within the city limits, but by chance I heard them…— But the location where the battle took place is quite far from the fountain. How did you locate them?
Phoskyr insisted that he had heard the noise of the battle, yet everyone understood that such a thing was impossible, since the site of yesterday's battle lay far from the grove of the fountain.
— Furthermore, you told us that when you escaped, everyone was dead except for one Ōnion. How did that one die? We found all the Ōnia you described lying dead.— Only one was alive when I fled.
"Yes, very well—and how did it die? Did it commit suicide?" an elf with the rank of Avgerinos asked mockingly. The Avgerinoi were elite elven units, so called because of the golden aura they bore when performing magical leaps on the battlefield.
— It did not commit suicide! Its own beast was so powerful that it turned against its master and killed him… and that is how I found the chance to escape the battle.— What kind of beast was it? Do you know it, or can you describe it?— It was a massive dragon wreathed in blinding light, unleashing dreadful fire attacks from its mouth and its wings.
The elder spoke again, visibly astonished, and asked him how he had managed to survive against such a terrible demon.
The amazement that Phoskyr inspired in the elder—and in most of the elves—did not go unnoticed, and he began to take pleasure in it. From their expressions he realized that this dragon must have been an exceptionally powerful demon, and yet he had managed to escape the confrontation with it alive and victorious. Suddenly, an elf sprang up from the crowd and shouted, "It's obvious! The boy must have had additional help and is hiding the truth from us!" Another cried out, "Who knows what else he may have revealed to his own people about our kingdom… surely there were other humans in the forest, and now they'll be coming to our doorstep in groups." The elves began whispering among themselves, and a murmur of discussion erupted throughout the assembly.
— There was no one else—only two humans were involved in the clash with the Ōnia. I simply used the spell Megamops, and thus I turned the very beast against its master!
From within the crowd, various voices could be heard asking, "What spell did he say?" while others wondered whether such a spell even existed. At the same time, the council whispered among themselves and decided to change the subject. Among the council was the wise Elanor, despite his young age compared to the other elves. The eldest elf took the floor once more and announced to Phoskar that they would take him into custody for further interrogation, so that he might reveal the whole truth about yesterday's battle.
— You should also know that, depending on the outcome of your interrogation, we will decide whether you will be permitted to remain in our kingdom or whether you must be exiled for life…
The young mage and his parents were left speechless, and although they tried to speak in Phoskar's defense, they were not allowed to do so.
— Finally, we announce that after Phoskar's interrogation, the trial concerning this matter will be held in the royal hall next Thursday.
Thus, the assembly was dissolved, and the Avgerinoi once again led the young mage back to the holding cells of the police center. In the days that followed, they interrogated him and tried to persuade him to tell them the whole truth, but Nophoivos stood by his testimony, adding nothing beyond what he had already stated. As a result, Thursday arrived and the trial began, charging the young mage with violating the laws of Knosaion and with endangering the existence of their secret world before the other nations and the hostile Ōnia.
As a result of the trial of the adolescent mage, a large monetary fine was imposed on the Adathes family, and the following choice was given to Phoskyr: either he would remain imprisoned in the holding cells for three months and be forbidden for life from ever leaving Knosaion, or he could choose exile and never return to their world again. Phoskyr was torn by the dilemma, for he did not wish to abandon his family, whom he adored, yet at the same time he felt obligated to help his own people, who were in danger from the Ōnia.
Despite the many years that had passed since the elves found him, Phoskyr had never forgotten the faces of his parents; they were always in his heart. Thus, deep within him he still felt the duty to avenge the Ōnia who had killed them and to help his nation. And so, with great sorrow, the dark-haired Nophoivos chose exile, even though it meant leaving behind his beloved sister and the kind parents who had raised him as their own true son. Naturally, the Adathes family tried to dissuade him, but Nophoivos knew that if he remained in Knosaion, he would be betraying his people and the memory of his parents, who had been brutally slain by the horrific Ōnia.
On the last day before his departure, his teacher Elanor came to visit him as well—he had grown fond of that mischievous boy with great talent in magic, who was constantly getting himself into trouble.
— Out there, you can see what the world is really like… If you leave the safety of Knosaion, do not expect help from us elves, and even if you were to return, do not expect to be able to find us again… it will be final.— I know…— And you have so much potential in magic. Think how much you could learn if you stayed here in Knosaion. Out there, your people and the other races do not possess the same power or understanding of magic as we do here.— Master… since you elves truly possess such knowledge and magical power, why then do you not help the rest of the world and instead remain hidden?
— Unfortunately, things are often far more complicated than they appear, and proper explanations are difficult to give. Much like the way you managed to survive against so many Ōnia and the legendary dragon Elrev…— What do you mean, sir?— Megamops… indeed… let me guess—you read that spell in the library as well, didn't you?— Yes, about a… month ago…— My young friend, that spell is one of the darkest and rarest spells in the world, and I am certain it exists in no known library of Knosaion—much less in the outside world. You do not merely hear whispers, do you?— The truth is, I can hear telepathically the voice of the shadow spirit, Xodeinos—Eskeinthos, that is, and he has revealed many spells to me… and generally useful knowledge about magic…— I warned you, my friend, not to practice the dark and dangerous magic of summonings, especially when you are alone—but of course you disobeyed me… That explains it, then. I suspected as much.— What did you suspect, Master?— It is known among us, the elves of the council, that certain mages—though a rare phenomenon, possess the ability to communicate with some magical beings, or even with the very magical nature of the aether itself. That is why you knew of the ancient and dark spell Megamops, which very few mages know, even among us elves. It is an ancient spell whose knowledge exists only in certain forbidden books in the royal library, and only for those permitted access to that magical archive.
— It was Xodeinos who revealed to me that two humans were in danger and sent me to help them, if it were not for him…— If it were not for him… they would have died? Which, in the end, happened anyway? Only that when he told you, you might have died as well—and perhaps even become the reason our kingdom was revealed to humans, or worse, to the horrific Ōnia! Did you ever stop to think why he would send you to such a dangerous place, or do you trust that spirit completely? Why did he not reveal just how dangerous it was to go there?— He told me that two humans were in danger and said that, if I wished, I should let him guide me to the site of the battle. He asked me whether I wanted to…— As if he would not ask you… In any case, if you truly care about knowledge concerning spirits, then the best and safest course for your curious nature would be to remain here with us, who understand the magic of the aether far better than the outside world. Moreover, you have not even completed your studies here at Ezami, so it would not be wise to abandon all your friends and your school.
— I understand everything you are telling me, Elanor, but something inside me will not let my conscience rest. I cannot turn my back on my people and leave them at the mercy of the Ōnia. It would be as if I were abandoning and dishonoring the memory of my dead parents, who died to save me.
— I see, so my efforts to persuade you are in vain. At least keep in mind that summoning magical entities is, by nature, a dangerous and dark form of magic. And remember, many mages who frequently practiced this type of magic ended up either dead or consumed by darkness, their character and morality corrupted. Not a few even went mad from using this mysterious and perilous magic. If you leave here, you too might be led down this dark path, should you actively participate in the war against the Ōnia.
— Thank you, Master, for everything you have done for me, for my family, and for your advice. But I have made up my mind; perhaps it is best, both for me and for Knosaion, that I leave.
— Then, my young friend, I wish you success in whatever you do, and I hope that someday in the future we will meet again under better and more peaceful circumstances.
After a short while, Nophoivos met with his parents, and his sister Enali was there as well, trying through tears and pleas to convince her beloved brother to stay at home and not abandon them forever. Finally, his parents, Elanor, and some of his classmates who were also present bid him farewell. Among them was his best friend, Sair.
— Lucky you, you got away again. You're leaving the boring school and will take part in adventures and battles with your own people, outside of Knosaion, while we're stuck here…— See you, buddy. I won't forget you, and I hope we meet again somehow.— You can be sure of that. I'll finish school first, and once I come of age, I'll come find you, and we'll make the Ōnia regret ever crossing us!
The two friends hugged and said goodbye. Then three Avgerinoi took Phoskyr and transported him to the island of Dorous, where one of the headquarters of the Human Magic Ministry was located. There was also a military installation there tasked with guarding the magical rift in the sky through which the fairies entered the world of Earth.
The Avgerinoi teleported Phoskyr to a clearing in a grove and left him there, showing him the allies' camp. They then wished him luck and teleported back to the region of Donis, the elves' kingdom. Meanwhile, Begalor and his advisors in the palace debated whether it had been wise to let the young mage leave Knosaion. Elanor spoke to reassure them.
— Do not worry, my friends. The boy may be impulsive, but he has a heart of diamond. I am certain he will not reveal anything to humans about us elves or Knosaion. I believe he will keep his word and, if asked, tell them he comes from a remote village in Diyuria, as we agreed.
Begalor replied, "I hope, Elanor, that you are right, and that the humans do not suspect him because of his poor pronunciation."
— Do not worry, my lord. Even if the Ministry's mages investigate Phoskyr's origins, there will be no problem, for our Avgerinoi have taken care of the matter.
Then an elder named Lastor spoke, reminding them of an ancient elven prophecy.
— When the sky splits in two, a branch of wild olive shall grow on the tame olive. The branch of the wild olive will bear an ancient fruit, which will lead the glorious nation through eternal darkness. As you understand, gentlemen, the prophecy is clear and absolute. The first part of the prophecy refers to the rift that opened in the magical veil due to the arrival of the celestial body Menesis! As for the branch of the wild olive, it is obvious that it symbolizes the young mage whom we raised recklessly as one of our own.
Another elf replied to Lastor that they should not jump to conclusions so quickly, but Lastor reminded him of Elanor's words.
— Do not be deceived at all, because Elanor revealed to us that Phoskyr can communicate with ancient magic through the shadow spirit Eskeinthos. This surely explains the prophecy's reference to the ancient fruit, meaning that he will have the ability to communicate with the aether, just as in ancient times when mages themselves had this ability. And the prophecy's conclusion clearly indicates that the young mage will be the cause of leading our glorious nation of Knosaion into darkness, that is, toward annihilation! Therefore, my fellow citizens, I consider his leaving our city the best decision we could have made, for otherwise he might have placed our people in grave danger and destroyed our civilization with his ancient magic.
— "And by driving the young mage away, did we perhaps doom ourselves?" asked another council member.— "What if he betrays us to the other races, and somehow that leads to our destruction?"
Elanor responded to the elves, assuring them that he trusted his student's word. He further explained that even if Phoskyr were to betray them, they possessed enough ancient magic to hide successfully for centuries from anyone who might try to locate or track them. Thus, Begalor and the other elves recognized that the exile of the young human had been the best possible outcome.
— "The young Phoskyr would have certainly put our kingdom in grave danger had he remained in our city. And let me remind you, as your king, that, according to our ancient legends, contact with ancient magic is the very reason why the traces and kingdoms of the ancient nations of Earth were mysteriously lost. Therefore, it is better that we sent him away before his connection with the Aether could place our people in an uncertain future."
Although Elanor preferred to personally supervise Phoskyr and guide him as he developed into a mage, he ultimately could not persuade Nophoivos to stay or change the majority opinion of the council. The rebellious young mage was exiled from Knosaion, with Elanor giving him one final warning about the true dangers of summoning magic entities.
On the island of Dorous, the young mage transformed into a shadowy aura, swiftly and effortlessly leaping to the allied camp. He arrived at the gate, where two guards stood—one human and the other a Skodito. Speaking in broken local dialect, Phoskyr explained that he wished to enlist in the allied army against the Ōnia and introduced himself as Nophoivos.
— "Against the Ōnia? What do you mean?"Realizing his mistake, he clarified, "I mean against those demons, the fairies!"
The human guard took out a magical mirror to communicate with the sergeant and inform him that a schoolboy wished to enlist in their army.
— "A schoolboy?! Let him pass. I'll send a soldier to fetch him; I'm curious to see this young one."
Within minutes, a soldier arrived and escorted the young mage to the sergeant's office. The brown-haired mage, wearing a fine magical hat and a neat cloak, introduced himself as Odysseas and asked Nophoivos for his name.
— "My name is Nophoivos."— "And why have you come here at such a young age? I assume you haven't even finished school yet…"— "I am fifteen years old, and I came to fight the evil… the fairies who killed both my parents!"— "I'm sorry… I didn't know. Follow me, young one. Sergeant Zacharias wishes to meet you."
They soon arrived at the guardhouse, where all the soldiers stared at Nophoivos with curiosity. Odysseas knocked on the sergeant's door, and Sergeant Zacharias called, "Come in!"
— "Sergeant, here is the young mage who wishes to enlist in our allied army."
The sergeant asked,— "What is your name, young man?"— "I am Nophoivos, from Diyiria. Apologies for my poor pronunciation."— "I am Sergeant Zacharias. I see you have a wand on your belt, so you are a mage?"— "Yes, sir. I came to enlist so I can avenge the death of my parents, who were killed by these dreadful creatures when they attacked our village."
— "Are you capable enough to face these creatures? The army is no game, young man. Lives are at stake here… Have you completed your magical training?"— "I'm fifteen, Sergeant, and I haven't graduated from magic school, but I don't think the fairies will care whether I'm an adult or not when they attack us. I am confident in my abilities, and you will see for yourselves when I fight."
— "Very well, young man. You may stay in our camp for now, and we will test your abilities on the training field to determine whether you are fit. If your skills prove genuine, we will assign you to our unit; otherwise, it may be best for both you and us that you leave before endangering yourself and the army."
— "You'll see, Sergeant, I will succeed!"— "For now, go with Odysseas to the mess hall, eat, and meet the other soldiers in our unit. Let's go!"
Odysseas led Nophoivos to the mess hall, where he met soldiers of various races: Goblins, Skodita, human mages, and non-mages. The Centocheres and giants were absent, dining elsewhere due to their immense size.
The camp had separate units and buildings for each race, reflecting the unique abilities of each force. Human mages, though part of the human race, had separate quarters from ordinary human soldiers. Initially, the allied army did not consist of ordinary human units. However, as the years passed and the rift continued to expand with increasingly frequent fairy raids on Earth, the Ministry of Magic requested assistance from other human forces.
Thus, the unified army of nations began contributing secretly at first. But as attacks on major cities increased, the world gradually became aware of the invasion by these strange magical beings. The planet was under assault, and the allied forces, along with the prominent Ministry of Magic, were tasked with stopping them. This sudden revelation astonished the general population, who had previously known nothing about the long-standing Ōnia incursions.
The adolescent Nofivos ate his meal, and when he finished his dinner, he was informed that the senior officers of the mage company were waiting for him at the training field to assess whether he was capable of serving in the allied army. Odysseas waited for him to finish eating and then led him to the training grounds.
At the field there were many newly recruited mages training in front of metallic humanoid dummies. The recruits were attacking them with various spells in order to improve their magical abilities.
Nofivos entered the training field and approached one of the metal dummies, stopping at a distance of about twenty meters. All eyes of the senior officers of the mage corps turned toward this young boy who had arrived at their camp earlier that day and had requested to join the ranks of the mages. Everyone was curious to see the abilities of this underage and mysterious mage.
Young Foskir stood motionless for a few seconds at a distance of twenty meters from the metallic dummy. Then, without using his staff and without uttering the spell "Zapeiron," he suddenly made a sharp movement with his right hand—and the metal dummy was cut cleanly in two.
All the recruits stopped training and stared in astonishment at the feat of the young mage, who had sliced the metal dummy in half with the ease of cutting butter. The officers on the stands were equally stunned, having observed that the young mage had neither spoken the spell aloud nor used his staff.
The general of the mage corps, who was also present on the platform with the other officers, asked to be told the name of this child.
"The boy, my General, is called Nofivos. He arrived at our camp today and wishes to enlist."
"Zacharias, I see no reason to delay this. Enlist him in your company immediately. The boy is a marvel and clearly a very powerful mage."
The other officers then asked Lieutenant Zacharias what else he knew about the young mage, and he told them everything he knew. A few minutes later, the senior mages descended from the stands and approached the young mage to congratulate him for cutting the metal dummy in two with a single motion of his hand. They introduced themselves and spoke with him briefly to assess his character as well.
"I am the general of the mage corps. It is a pleasure to meet you, Nofivos. You should know that it is an honor for us to have such a capable mage serve among us. From today onward, you are a member of the mage company."
"Odysseas, take the boy with you. Brief him at the outpost, give him clothing and the necessary equipment, and then show him his quarters."
"Yes, sir, Lieutenant Zacharias! Follow me, Nofivos. Despite your young age, you truly are a very capable mage, aren't you?"
"Thank you, Odysseas. I trained quite a lot at the school of Dýiria…"
"Your school must be quite remarkable for you to be this skilled."
"Y‑yes… it seems so," the young mage replied with a smile.
Shortly afterward, they arrived at the outpost. There, Odysseas gave him his uniform and combat gear, then showed him his locker and the barracks where he would sleep alongside the other recruits of the company. After introducing him to his fellow soldiers in the barracks, Odysseas showed him the company schedule, which included various duties, as well as training hours, meals, and rest periods.
Nearly a month passed, and Foskar's performance during training was extraordinary, earning him the admiration of both his superiors and his comrades. When the month of training and adjustment for the recruits ended, his captain assigned him his first mission. Nofivos and his barracks companions were deployed together with the entire company to the battlefield of the Veil in a support role.
When the recruits arrived, they witnessed the chaos of battle for the first time, as the fairies attempted to break through the magical Veil. These demonic beings were trying to pass through a long, parallel rift in the sky, while the allied army first sent in the massive Giants and the Hundred‑Handed ones. Behind them, the army's mages, together with the artillery of the United Nations, provided support.
Beyond providing cover, the mages created magical aura lattices in an attempt to trap the Onia armadas and prevent them from escaping the battlefield. Despite this, the Onia often managed to breach the magical defenses and flee the combat zone.
At the same time, in the airspace above, fighter aircraft and airborne mages had to contend with flying demons and dragons controlled by the fairies when they summoned them.
As all this unfolded, Nofivos and his fellow recruits stood awestruck by the scale and devastation of the conflict. Their captain announced their battle positions, and they all rushed to take them up after wishing them good luck. The battle for the young mage's company unfolded relatively smoothly, as their role was to reinforce the magical lattice and, when necessary, eliminate any of the mysterious creatures that managed to break through the frontline defenses.